Pilot on short-final screams 'turn off electronics'

I was recently on an American Eagle flight between Toronto and Chicago. On short final the pilot came over the speaker and in a flustered voice told us someone still had a phone on and that it was causing problems in the cockpit.

Upon landing the pilot said that if they had not had visual contact with the runway they would have had to go around. I asked upon existing and apparently, whatever was on stayed on.

After 1000s of flights I had never actually heard of a a device actually causing interference that mattered. Actually, my cousin, that is a commercial pilot, says he routinely keeps his phone on for whole flights.

So if you hadn't continued to exist, you wouldn't have asked?

Maybe not in so many words...


I totally and true believe that electronics do not cause any interference in the real world, but I guess in one lab test under specific circumstances on a Tuesday night with a full moon and temperatures below 43 degrees the FAA noticed a voltage spike of negligible amounts and freaked out and passed an all encompassing rule.

I usually never turn my phone off during a flight and I continue to exist and exit planes....

The Conventional Wisdom on FT seems to be that the threat of interference is BS because "I kept my phone on during the flight and we didn't crash". Not exactly a scientifically rigorous line of argument.

I did read an article in an electrical engineering journal several years ago that examined the issue. If I remember correctly, the issue was a real one, particularly for equipment that had been repaired (factory-installed shielding was often compromised/damaged during repairs). TV's and FM radios were the biggest concern due to the internal frequencies they used.

I guess I hope I am never on a flight with you on a Tuesday night with a full moon below 43 degrees...

Is it really worth it even if the chance of interference is negligible -- really?

Irrespective of whether electronic equipment interferes with the plane's systems or not, I think it's great that there are people who think they know better and blatantly flout the safety rules. Fine if something goes wrong and you just kill yourself but unfortunately you'll take everyone else out with you.

AAaaahhhh... another electronics thread.

In addition to personal electronics there can also be a few other things causing the issue you experienced and it's not accurate for the pilot to place blame on some personal electronics stuff.

For example, heavy rain can result in static buildup on the airframe if they diffusers aren't connected properly. Or the radio might have chosen that particular moment to die. Or another airplane may have taxied too far and was partially intruding into the IFR caution zone. Or the radio was mistuned. Whatever. I would hope that the AE plane has better electronics than the Cessna 172 that I have pleasure of driving, but if I've been flying using the GPS tuned into the VOR display and then try to land using the ILS but forget to push the "NAV/GPS" toggle button, it will appear as if my ILS is broken. It's been known to happen.

As far as going around... that seems like the prudent thing to do. And assuming that your plane was trying to use an ILS approach, assuming they had been using VORs or GPS to navigate to ORD without problems, they could have then (presumptively) initiated one of those approaches without issue albeit with potentially higher minimums.

Having worked for a company that offered radiation test services, you're right in thinking damaged casing on phones and PC's is a real concern, as are leads hanging off the side of units for headphone, mice, portable storage etc. FWIW most Notebook PC's will radiate some interference in the GHz bands.

Ummm, the guy who left his phone on causing his plane to crash and explode in a fireball on landing sends his regrets that he is unable to access Flyertalk from the other side to contradict your reasoning

I am appalled at the unofficial testing program evidently going on to prove that cell phones do not interfere with aircraft navigation, and I want to go on record as saying that the first airline to allow cell phone use during flights WILL lose my business, even if it's AA.

What I don't understand is, why can't people turn their electronics off just because it's the rule? Regardless of whether it interferes or not, it's a very simple request that doesn't disrupt anyone's life. You're asked to turn it off, turn it off. The whole idea that people think they're above the rules, or just choose to ignore them, really bothers me. Would you cheat a friend just because he wouldn't find out, or because he doesn't really need the money?

It doesn't hurt anything to play by the rules.

BA allows texting on its JFK-LCY flights.

As an instrument rated pilot myself and as as the original poster I do NOT believe electronics cause any problems and if I had to guess this problem was cause in the ground or with the airplane, not with anything passengers did.

The pilot said the problem was with the COM radios, not the GPS or ILS (instrument landing system). My un-expert opinion is that cell phones had nothing to do with this, but it did make me wonder enough to ask the pilot what would cause him to worry[?] that much.

I do think cell phones / voice can eventually be allowed on-board. HOWEVER, technology needs to be developed (and I believe it can) so it is not disruptive to other passengers. I hope that generic laws preventing the market from developing technologically are NOT passed.

Who was that guy, or is your post just hyperbole?

This is interesting, because over the holidays, I was on an EZ flight from LHR to PFO. As we began our landing approach (read 3-5 minutes before touching down), the flight attendant made an announcement that we needed to make sure that all mobile phones and electronics needed to be off, because they could interfere with our ability to land safely.

Now, I don't know much about any of it and whether or not it will interfere, but nothing burns me up more than watching someone actively ignore this request. I was sitting next to a jerk in first on an AA flight last year who was ON THE PHONE as we were on approach, and the flight attendant just sat there and watch them. I was on a WN flight last month where two girls turned on their iphones and called as we were beginning to accelerate and take off.

The bottom line? There's a reason for these rules, whether I understand it and agree with it or not... and I don't want to be the one to find out whether or not they interfere with take off and landing. Your phone call is not that important.